Data Storage System with Rapid Restore Capability

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the first computing device to: based on a first request for the first data file, wherein the first request is received before the first data file has been moved to the second drive, transmit the first data file in the native format from the first drive.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the first computing device to: based on a second request for the first data file, wherein the second request is received after the first data file has been moved to the second drive and before the first data file has been converted into the one or more secondary copies, transmit the first data file in the native format from the second drive.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the first computing device to: based on a third request for the first data file, wherein the third request is received after the first data file has been converted into the one or more secondary copies, (A) restore the one or more secondary copies from the secondary copy format into the first data file in the native format, and (B) transmit the first data file in the native format from the second drive.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first drive is configured in the system as a faster storage tier than the second drive.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first drive is configured in the system as a faster storage tier than a first portion of the second drive that stores the first data file in the native format, and wherein a second portion of the second drive that stores the one or more secondary copies in the secondary copy format is configured in the system as a slower storage tier than the first portion of the second drive.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a storage manager that executes on a third computing device is configured to manage one or more storage policies that define the first amount of time and the second amount of time, wherein the third computing device is distinct from one or more of: the client computing device and the first computing device, and wherein the third computing device comprises one or more hardware processors.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first drive is configured to execute a first file system and wherein the second drive is configured to execute a second file system, which is distinct from, and of a different type than, the first file system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the first computing device to: receive an updated version of the first data file, store the updated version of the first data file in the first drive, determine that the first data file has changed since a preceding snapshot operation, store the updated version of the first data file in the second drive, in the native format; and store, at the first drive, a stub that references the updated version of the first data file stored at the second drive.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising: based on a first request for the first data file, wherein the first request is received before the first data file has been moved to the second drive, transmitting the first data file in the native format from the first drive.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising: based on a second request for the first data file, wherein the second request is received after the first data file has been moved to the second drive and before the first data file has been converted into the one or more secondary copies, transmitting the first data file in the native format from the second drive.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising: based on a third request for the first data file, wherein the third request is received after the first data file has been converted into the one or more secondary copies, (A) restoring the one or more secondary copies from the secondary copy format into the first data file in the native format, and (B) transmitting the first data file in the native format from the second drive.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising: taking a snapshot of the first drive; based on determining that the first data file has changed since a preceding snapshot, storing the first data file in the native format at the second drive; at the first drive, storing a stub that references the first data file at the second drive.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the first drive is configured in the system as a faster storage tier than the second drive.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the first drive is configured in the system as a faster storage tier than a first portion of the second drive that stores the first data file in the native format, and wherein a second portion of the second drive that stores the one or more secondary copies in the secondary copy format is configured in the system as a slower storage tier than the first portion of the second drive.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein a storage manager that executes on a third computing device is configured to manage one or more storage policies that define the first amount of time and the second amount of time, wherein the third computing device is distinct from one or more of: the client computing device and the first computing device, and wherein the third computing device comprises one or more hardware processors.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the first drive is configured to execute a first file system and wherein the second drive is configured to execute a second file system, which is distinct from, and of a different type than, the first file system.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising: receiving an updated version of the first data file; storing the updated version of the first data file in the first drive; determining that the first data file has changed since a preceding snapshot operation; storing the updated version of the first data file in the second drive, in the native format; and storing, at the first drive, a stub that references the updated version of the first data file stored at the second drive.